Code Signing Certificate Validity Is Changing: Key Updates and Timelines

Starting in 2026, publicly trusted code signing certificates will no longer be valid for three years. The CA/Browser Forum approved an industry standard that cuts the maximum lifetime from roughly 39 months to about 460 days (around 15 months). Browsers and operating systems will only trust certificates that follow the new rule beginning in March 2026.

This change directly affects how software is released, updated, and trusted. Shorter validity means faster certificate rotation, tighter renewal windows, and more operational pressure on build and release pipelines.

In this article you’ll find the essential facts: what exactly changed, the effective timelines, which teams and systems this affects, and concrete ways to adjust your signing and release workflows.

Understanding the Shift to Shorter Code Signing Certificate Lifespans

Long lived signing keys have always been a weak point. If a key leaks, gets copied, or is misused, the damage lasts as long as the certificate stays valid. Shortening the lifetime reduces that window and is the core driver behind this change.

This new guideline was set at the standards level and applies across the public trust ecosystem. Every CA that issues publicly trusted code signing certificates must follow the same limit.

Here is what is actually different, and what is not.

Reduced Maximum Validity Period

The maximum validity for newly issued certificates will be reduced from 39 months (about 3 years) to 460 days (about 15 months).

This applies at the time of issuance. Any new certificate issued after the enforcement date must follow the shorter lifespan. Certificate Authorities can no longer issue multi year, long lived signing certificates under the public trust model.

Scope of the Change

The reduced validity limit applies to: Standard Code Signing certificates & EV Code Signing certificates.

The following remain unchanged:

• The signing process itself
• Cryptographic algorithms used for code signing
• Timestamping behavior and trust chaining
• How signed binaries are validated by operating systems

If your software was signed correctly and timestamped while the certificate was valid, the signature stays trusted, even after the certificate expires.

Timeline and Enforcement

• The new maximum validity applies only to newly issued certificates.
• Enforcement begins March 1, 2026 across publicly trusted ecosystems.
• CAs are required to issue certificates that comply with the new limit.
• Operating systems and trust stores will reject non-compliant certificates.
• Existing certificates are allowed to run until their original expiration date.

This is a forward only change. There is no grace period for non compliant new certificates.

Why Are the Code Signing Rules Changing

This shift came from years of security reviews across browsers, operating systems, and certificate authorities. They all pointed out the same weakness: signing keys with higher validity stay dangerous for long when something goes wrong.

When a code signing private key is compromised, there is no way to detect. It can sign malware, make updates look legitimate; trust chain remains intact until the certificate finally expires or is revoked.

Shorter validity reduces that exposure window. A stolen or misused key cannot be trusted for years anymore. At most, it lives for a little over a year and this alone limits the scale of damage when a breach happens.

There is also a second concern: software supply chains move faster than they did ten years ago. Build systems change, signing environments move to cloud infrastructure, and release pipelines become more automated. Long certificate lifetimes no longer match how quickly these systems evolve.

Public PKI has already gone through this shift and dropped SSL/TLS certificate lifetimes. This change forces regular rotation and prevents old cryptographic material from staying in circulation. Code signing is now following the same security model for the same reason.

Who Needs to Pay Attention?

Any team that signs, releases, or governs software will feel this change.

• Software developers and Independent Software Vendors – For software developers and vendors faster certificate expiration shortens release windows and requires tighter coordination around signing.
• Enterprises distributing internal and external applications – Shared signing infrastructure can cause expired certificates to block builds or updates if not tracked carefully.
• DevOps and CI/CD teams – Pipelines with static certificates or manual signing steps will surface gaps as certificate rotation happens more often.
• Security and compliance teams – Frequent renewals expose weaknesses in key storage and reveal where signing oversight is incomplete.

Operational Impact of Shorter Certificate Lifetime

Shorter certificate lifespan changes how teams manage software signing. Certificates will expire more often, which creates pressure on release schedules and increases the chance of missed renewals.

Manual signing processes become risk points. Teams relying on spreadsheets, emails, or static certificates may see delays or errors when certificates need rotation.

Long term certificate procurement or multi-year buffers no longer exist, leaving less room for error.

Key impacts include:

• More frequent certificate renewals and checks
• Potential pipeline delays if certificates expire mid-cycle
• Greater need for tracking key usage and signing events

How to Prepare for 460 Day Code Signing Certificate Validity

Shorter certificate lifetimes require deliberate planning across inventory, renewal, automation, key storage, and signing workflows to keep releases on schedule and prevent unexpected build failures.

1. Inventory and Audit Code Signing Certificates

   Create a complete inventory of every active code signing certificate. Map each one to its real usage across pipelines, installers, firmware, and scripts. Track expiration dates and identify any legacy three year certificates. Gaps in visibility turn routine renewals into release blockers under shorter validity cycles.

2. Plan Shorter Renewal Cycles

   Move away from multiyear certificate planning and adopt a 12 month renewal. Tie certificate lifetimes to release schedules, security reviews, and budget cycles. Shorter validity leaves no room for delayed approvals or stalled procurement when a certificate expires during active development.

3. Automate Certificate Issuance and Rotation

   Integrate CA APIs or ACME based issuance directly into CI/CD pipelines. Automate CSR creation, certificate issuance, renewal, and deployment. Ensure builds fail if certificates expire or are missing, forcing early detection and preventing delays during releases under the new shorter validity cycle.

4. Evaluate Key Storage (Tokens, Cloud, HSM)

   Audit where signing keys reside, USB tokens, local machines, or shared drives. Consider secure alternatives like cloud key management or Hardware Security Modules to support automated pipelines. Keys must remain protected while supporting unattended, repeatable signing across automated pipelines.

5. Align Signing Workflows

   Update all manual or legacy signing procedures to handle more frequent certificate rotation. Test it in staging and CI pipelines to catch errors early. Verify timestamping so software remains trusted after certificate expiration, especially for long lived installers, firmware, and scripts.

6. Engage with Your Certificate Authority

   Confirm enforcement dates and renewal limits with your CA. Verify that your key storage and signing workflows are compatible with the new rules. Conduct trial renewals under the 460 day policy to surface potential issues before impacting production releases.

Conclusion

Shorter code signing certificate lifetimes change how release operations work in real environments. Certificates no longer align with how software is built, shipped or updated. The new rules force teams to rethink how certificates are tracked, replaced, and wired into their pipelines. Organizations that treat code signing as part of their delivery infrastructure will adapt faster and avoid failures.